Signal device



C. F. A. EDDY SIGNAL DEVICE Oct. 10, 1939.

Filed' May 20, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In y@ Oct. 10, 1939. c. F. A. EDDY SIGNAL DEVICE Filed May 20, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. O, 1939 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application May 20,

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in signal devices of the type employed on motor vehicles for indicating the direction of turn which the operator expects to make.

The object of the invention is to provide for the operation of such signal devices pneumatically from a remote point such as adjacent the steering-wheel or steering-column. This is accomplished by providing a pumpl device which may he manipulated by the operator of the vehicle for operating pistons which in turn control the signal for indicating the direction of turn of the vehicle. The pistons are connected with the indicator arm and preferably are located in the casing of the signal device for direct operation of said indicator arm.

Provision is made in the signal device for locking the indicator arm in any set position until returned to neutral by the operator. For this purpose, a cam gear is used which is geared to the shaft of the signal arm for operating the same, and the cam gear is operated by the pistons which are actuated selectively on the different sides of the cam gear in such a position that when actuated the cam gear is locked in its set position until the operated piston is returned to neutral by the operator.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an automobile showing the invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View through the signal device;

35 Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view therethrough on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the signal device at right-angles to Fig. 2;

Fig, 5 is a vertical sectional view through the operating pump;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view therethrough on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a disassembled perspective view showing the pump valve.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the signal device comprises a main casing I which has cover plates 2 and 3 for the opposite sides thereof, the upper portions of which cover plates may have transparent windows 4 therein, or a window 4 may be provided only in the rear cover plate 2 if the signal is used at the rear of the vehicle, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The rear cover plate may have the usual bulls-eye 5 therein, if used as a rear signal.

The casing I has a main support 6 extending upwardly therein on which is mounted a shaft 1 carrying an indicator or signal arm 8, which is shown as of the shape of an arrow and adapted to be exposed in the window or windows 4. Se-

1936, ASerial No. 80,857

cured to the indicating arm 8 is a pinion 9, which rotates therewith, and this pinion meshes with a rack IU on a cam gear II. The cam gear II is journaled on a shaft I2, so as to rotate thereon, and a slot I3 in said cam gear receives a stop pin I4 fixed to the support 5 to limit the swinging motions of the cam gear II in opposite directions.

As shown in Fig. 2, the cam gear II has a pendulum portion I5 depending from the lower side thereof, which is provided with notches I6 in opposite sides of the cam gear II. Pistons I'I have vwrist-pins I8 carried thereby and arranged on opposite sides of the pendulum portion I5 of the cam gear, each of which pins is in position to engage the opposite sides of a notch I6 alternately for swinging the cam gear II in one direction or the other, and for locking said cam gear in a neutral position. The upper edges of these notches I6 are curved upwardly and inwardly somewhat in the form of arcs to present cam surfaces which rest in the direct path of the wrist-pins I8.

The pistons I'I are operatively mounted in cylinders iS provided in the casing of the signal device, and conduits 20 lead to the cylinders I9 from a combined compression and vacuum pump shown in Fig. 5.

The pump of Fig. 5 comprises a cylinder 2I in which a piston 22 is operatively mounted, and is secured to the inner end of a piston-rod 23 having a hand-wheel 24 thereon, for manual operation of the piston lengthwise of the cylinder 2I. A valve stem 25 is telescoped within the piston rod 23 and has a squared connection therewith so as to rotate with the piston rod 23, but permitting longitudinal movement of the piston rod relative to the valve stem 25, the latter being held against longitudinal movement by a connection 26 with the end of the cylinder 2I. A disk valve 2l is mounted on the end of the valve stem 25,- and has openings 28 therein adapted to register alternately with the conduits 20. An edge of the valve 2'I is shown as provided with a slot 29 therein receiving a pin 30 which projects from the end of the cylinder 2| to limit the turning movements of the valve 2l in opposite directions.

The pump may be mounted in any convenient accessible position to the driver, and is shown in Fig. 1 as mounted on the steering-column of the vehicle with the conduits 2D extending therefrom to the signal, which is shown in this instance as mounted at the rear of the vehicle, but it is obvious that it may be mounted in any other convenient position such as on the side, or at the front, or top; there may be signals at both front and rear if desired, as shown in my prior Patent No. 1,879,139, granted Sept. 27, 1932.

Normally, the signal arm 8 is in an intermediate position as shown in Fig. 2, during the operation of the vehicle in a forward direction. When the driver of the vehicle desires to indicate an intention to turn, it is merely necessary for him to rotate the hand-wheel 24 to one extreme position, or the other, according to the direction of turn, in the retracted position of the piston 22, which is the normal position thereof, the extent of rotation being controlled by the stop pin 30 and slot 29, and then upon depressing the hand-Wheel 24 pushing down on the piston 22, the pressure of the piston in the cylinder 2| will be communicated through the selected conduit 2U to the selected cylinder I9 where it acts on the piston I'I therein to force said piston outwardly, carrying the pin I8 against the uppermost side of the notch I6, which in turn swings the cam gear II to the right, or to the left, in Fig. 2, rotating the pinion 9 and turning the signal arm 8 to an indicating position.

After the operator has made the desired turn, he pulls out on the hand-wheel 24, which retracts the piston 22 in the cylinder 2I, creating a suction on the extended piston I'I, which pulls the pin I 8 thereof backward against the opposite side of the notch Iii to restore the cam gear II to the neutral position shown in Fig. 2. It is evident from Figs. to 7 that only one of the pistons I I can be operated at once because the valve 2'! covers one of the conduits 2U in either extreme position.

The pins I8 lock the cam gear II in a neutral position until one of said pins is moved by the operator, and when moved the cam gear is then held in an extreme position by the fluid pressure. The cam gear securely holds the indicator arm 8 in an upright position or in an indicating position.

A hood 3I is shown in Figs. 2 and 4 as enclosing the operating parts of the signal, a slot being provided therein for the indicator arm 8.

Illuminating lamps 32 are provided in the casing for illuminating the signal arm in the usual manner. Electrical connections 33 are provided for the lamps 32, which connections include a ground 34 for each signal lamp that is adapted to be engaged by the cam gear I I when swung to an extreme position for energizing the selected lamp.

I claim:

l. A signal device comprising an indicator arm, a gear operatively connected with said arm for moving the same and having laterally spaced operative portions, pistons having pins arranged in position to engage alternately the laterally spaced portions of the gear for operating the same, and means for applying pneumatic action to said pistons.

2. A signal device comprising an indicator arm, a cam gear operatively connected with said arm for moving the same, and having notches in opposite sides thereof, a pair of cylinders, pistons mounted in said cylinders and having wrist-pins arranged in the notches in position to engage either side thereof for operating the cam gear in diierent directions and for locking the same in said positions, and means for applying pneumatic action to said pistons.

3. A signal device comprising a casing having a support therein, an indicator arm journaled on said support in the casing, a cam gear journaled on the support in the casing and having gear connection with the indicator arm, means for limiting the turning movements of the cani gear, said cam gear having notches in opposite sides thereof, cylinders mounted side by side in the casing, pistons in said cylinders carrying wristpins disposed loosely in the notches in positlorl to engage either side thereof for turning the cam gear, and means for applying pneumatic action to the pistons.

4. A signal device comprising an indicating arm, pneumatically actuated power devices operatively connected with said arm for moving the same in diierent directions, a manually actuated pump, conduits leading from said pump to the respective power devices, a valve for controlling the fluid connection between the pump and the respective conduits, a valve stem connected with said valve, and a manually actuated plunger movable longitudinally relative to the valve stem and rotatable therewith for turning the valve.

5. A signal device including a pivotally supported indicating arm, a cam gear for swinging the arm on its pivot, the cam gear having a pendulum portion provided with re-entrant notches in its opposite edges, the upper edges of which notches are in the general form of arc-like cams, and independent means carrying wristpins in position on opposite sides of the pendulum portion of the cam gear adapted to enter the notches alternately and engage the upper cam edges thereof to swing the cam gear in opposite directions and for locking said cam gear in neutral.

6. A signal device including a movably supported indicating arm, a cam gear for moving the latter, the cam gear having a pendulum portion provided with re-entrant notches at its opposite edges, and movable means in position on opposite sides of the pendulum portion and normally embracing the same to lock the cam gear in one of its positions, and adapted to alternately enter the notches and engage their outer edges which rest in the path of said means whereby to move the cam gear out of its normal position.

7. A signal device including a pivotally supported indicating arm, a pivotally mounted cam gear, and intermeshed gear teeth thereon and on the indicating arm, the cam gear having a pendulum portion, movable means located on opposite sides of the pendulum portion, the cam gear having re-entrant notches on each side of the pendulum portion and provided with a slot concentric with the pivot of the cam gear, a stop pin extending through said slot, said pin and the movable means co-operating to arrest the cam gear at three different points in triangular relation when the cam gear and the indicating arm are swung to either of their extreme positions.

8. A signal device including a movably supported indicating arm, a pivoted cam for actuating the same, the cam having a pendulum portion, movable means between which the pendulum is positively locked when the indicating arm is in the neutral position, and compression and vacuum means for moving and locking the indieating arm to and in the opposite signalling positions.

9. A signal device including a movably supported indicating arm, a pivoted cam for actuating the same, the cam having a pendulum portion, movable means between which the pendulum is positively locked when the indicating arm is in the neutral position, a combined compression and vacuum pump, pistons operatively mounted in the cylinders thereof and carrying said movable means, and conduits leading from the pump to the cylinders for operating the pistons.

CHARLES F. A. EDDY. 

